Education for Children in Need was set up by teacher Phil Miller. He left his job at Widcombe Junior School to help thousands of street children struggling to survive.

After realising how difficult it was to turn their lives around, he set up ECN to prevent more children from becoming destitute. It targets children of Roma decent, who are the subject of harsh discrimination in their home towns.

The latest van-load of equipment is being driven the 1,500 miles to Romania on Monday. Anne Scott, of Shoscombe decided to help after she heard about the conditions families were living in.

Included in the cargo are computers from computers microlink and pre-play equipment from BrightMinds in Radstock.

somer Valley rotary Club also raised money for goods, and the equipment is being driven out in a van from Tom Denning, of highgrove Garage, in Radstock.

Mrs Scott said

"we're going to Maru in south West Romania. It's extremly poor and the infrastructure is nil"

"There's a lot of discrimination towards the Roma Gypsies. They live in dire conditions."

Mrs Scott who hopes to be a trustee of the charity visited the country in May last year. she met lots of families and saw for herself the 'basic' living conditions they had to exisit in.

"Because there's no employment in the contry and so much discrimination against the roma families they don't get work"

They have large families and always need basic necessities like cooking pots, and so when the children were given sweets their eyes were wide open and they were asking 'what's this'? They're so welcoming, loving and affectionate."

For more information on ECN or to offer help visit www.e4cn.org of email info@e4cn.org